Winchester Model 1876 Express Rifle manufactured in 1879. The rifle is chambered for the Winchester 50-95 Express cartridge and has the Second Model receiver with screw-fastened dust cover rail and dust cover with impressed, checkered, thumbprint. The left side-plate is hand-engraved: "Jno RIGBY & Co/ 72 St. JAMES STt./LONDON" in three lines. London proof and inspection marks are stamped along the left side of the barrel below the rear sight and on the upper left side of the receiver. The rifle has a 22-inch round barrel and half-magazine. The barrel has a Lyman "Hunting" front sight and a buckhorn, sporting style rear sight. A sliding bar safety which engages a notch at the back of the hammer when the hammer is at half-cock has been added to the upper tang. The safety and hammer notch are professionally executed and presumably were added by the Rigby firm prior to sale. The barrel, magazine, forearm tip, receiver and shotgun buttplate are Winchester commercial blue. The loading gate and dust cover have a fire blue finish. The hammer and lever are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut with a polished finish. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped: "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING-ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING"S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1865. OCTOBER 16. 1860." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. "50 CAL. EXPRESS" is hand-engraved on the top of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver. The top of the dust cover is hand-engraved: "WINCHESTER EXPRESS/50 CAL 95 GRNS" in two lines. "50-95" is engraved on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. "MODEL 1876." is roll-stamped on the upper receiver tang and the serial number "9776" is roll-stamped in script numerals on the lower tang between the lever latch and the tang screw. The powerful Winchester 50-95 Express cartridge and Model 1876 rifle appealed to British sportsmen looking for a repeating rifle suitable for big game in Africa and India. As the premier English gunmaker and retailer, the Rigby firm supplied a limited number of Winchester rifles to British sportsman. Winchester rifles with Rigby markings are scarce and desirable.

Very fine. The rifle is all original and retains 60% plus of the blue finish. Most of the blue finish is present on the barrel but the barrel has numerous small spots of age discoloration and surface rust. The factory legend is light but legible; the caliber markings and British proofs are sharp. The receiver and dust cover retains about 50% of the original blue finish. There is considerable blue loss on the front sides of the receiver, side plates and receiver top. The dust cover retains about 30% of the blue finish. The dust cover and front half of the receiver have scattered age spotting. The hand-engraved dust cover markings and Rigby markings are crisp. The buttplate has about 75% of the high polish blue finish. The hammer and lever retain about 85% of the original case colors. The stock and forearm are in very good condition with a few minor handling marks. This is a scarce and desirable example of a Winchester Model 1876 Express Rifle sold by one of the premier British gun dealers and makers at the height of the British Empire.